Indicating fluid-circuit interrupter



A ril 12, 1927.

H. M/BIEBEL INDICATING FLUID CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER Filed May 10, 1922 I WITNESSES:

INVENTQR Herman M. Blebel.

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. .12, 1927.

UNITED STATES v 1,624,463 PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN M. BIEBEL, OF- OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASS IGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

INDICATING FLUID-CIRCUIT INTEBRUPTER.

.' pplication filed May 10, 1922. Serial No. 559,691.

My invention relates to circuit interrupters and particularly to fluid circuit interrupters and it-has 'for its object to provide a relatively simple and compact fluid circuit interrupter that shall embody means for luminously indicating that the circuit has been interrupted. 1

In practicing my invention, I provide a closed evacuated tube of transparent insulating material in which is placed a conducting fluid and a quantity ofneon gas. A plurality of electric circuit terminals project into the tube in spaced-apart relation.

In the single sheet of drawings,

Figure 1 is a view, in side elevation, of an electrically heated iron, with which is associated the device embodying my invention, certain portions of the iron being cut away;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of an electrically heated apparatus, with which is associated the device embodying my invention;

Fig. 3 is a top plan viewof a modified form of the device embodying my invention;

Fig. 4 is a view. -in side elevation, of the device illustrated in Fig. 3.

An electric iron, designated generally by the numeral 11, comprises a sole plate 12, a heating element 13, a top plate 14 and a cover member 15. The top plate and the heating element are clamped against the sole plate by a plurality of bolts 16, only :3 one of which is illustrated in the drawing. The cover 15 is held in its proper operative position by a single bolt 17. A handle member 18 is supported by the top ends of two handle straps 1 9 and 21, the dowel m ends of which are secured against the cover member 15 by rivets 22. As the electric heating element 13 is not a part of my invention it is not deemed necessary to describe it in detail as itmav, be of any suitable type usually employed in the art. The terminals of the resistor of the heating-elementmay be suitably connected to upwardly extending terminal straps 23 which may be heldv in place by a terminal-supporting member which is. in turn, held in its proper operative position by the rear bolt 16.

A terminal casing 25 is located at the rear of the iron and is suitabl secured in its'propcr operative poistiony any suitas able means. it is provided with a sight opening 26, which may be left open or closed by a suitable transparent plate 27. A supply-circuit conductor 28 of the usual construction is provided, which extends into the terminal casing 25, a helical spring 29 being provided in order to prevent undue kinking of the conductor 28.

A 'fluid circuit interrupter 31, which may be of the type disclosed and claimed in copending application, Serial No. 503,796, filed by O. A. Colby, September 28. 1921, and assigned to the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co., may be located within the casing 25. The circuitinterrupter 31 comprises a closed evacuated tube 32 of transparent insulating material, such as glass or quartz, and is of substantially U- shape, one leg thereof being substantially shorter than the other. The tube 32 is filled with a quantity 33 of a suitable conducting fluid, such as mercury, and a plurality of spaced-apart electric circuit terminals 34' extend into the tube and operatively engage the column of conducting fluid. I place in the tube 32- also a quantity of neon gas.

. Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate a modification of the device embodying my invention in which thefluid circuit interrupter comprises a large tube 35, of substantially U -shape, and sot" a transparent insulating material, such as glass or quartz. Electric circuit terminals 34: extend into the tube at the ends thereof and operatively engage a quantity 33 of a suitable conducting. fluid such as mercury. The device may be arranged for manual operation to interrupt or close the circuit and may be mounted on a suitable base 36 which is provided with upwardly extending lugs 37. A supporting ;means for the tube may comprise a suitable metallic member 38 having portions ada ted to clamp the tube 35 and having short s aft extensions 39 and 41 which are located in the upwardly extending lugs 37. A knob or button 42 may be secured on the outer "end of the extension 41 to permit of giving the tube 35 a turning movement. .When the tube 35 is in substantially the position illustrate in Fig. 4- an electricfcircuit is establisheo. therethrough, the current flowing from one of the terminals 34 through the column 33 of conducting fluid to the other of the terminals. If the tubel35 is given a small angular turning movement in its support so that the ends of the tube are lower, the column of conducting fluid will be broken in substantially the middle or 1n- "termediate portion ofthe tube and thereby interrupt the circuit. I have illustrated stop members 43 and 4:4 as means for limiting the turning movement of the tube in its support. I place in this tube, in addition to the conducting fluid, a small quantity of neon gas.

If the circuit is interrupted, either manually or automatically, in the tube illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, a portion of the conducting fluid is caused to be located in the shorter portion of the tube, and the conducting fluid will be disengaged from the upper of the two electric circuit wires 34. The neon gas will then be located in such position as to lie between the upper electric circuit terminal and the top of the column of conducting fluid and be subject to the potential of the circuit whereby it is caused to glow, thereby indicating that the circuit has been interrupted. In the modification of the device illustrated in Fi s. 3 and 4, the neon gas occupies substantially the same position at all times but is subject to the electric potential of the circuit whenever the circuit has been interrupted in the tube 35 and, therefore, Will glow whenever it is subjected to the potential of the circuit, thus indicating an interrupted circuit. Such a tube thus operates as a space-current device to indicate an interruption of the circuit.

The device embodying my invention thus memes provides a relatively simple and compact circuit interrupter comprising embodying means for luminously indicating the interruption oi? the circuit.

I claim as my invention:

1. A circuit-interrupter comprising a closed transparent tube, a normally continuous column of conducting fluid therein, and neon gas in said tube for luminously indicatin a break in said column of conducting fluid.

2. A circuit-interrupter comprising an initially evacuated closed transparent tube, a normally continuous column of conducting fluid and a relatively small quantity of neon gas in said tube, whereby said tube becomes luminous upon the breaking of said column of conducting fluid.

A circuit-interrupter comprising a closed, transparent tube, a normall c011- tinuous column of conducting fluid tierein, and neon gas in said tube tor luminously indicating a break in said column of fluid.

4. A circuit interrupter comprising a closed transparent tube having a pair of spaced terminals therein and containing neon gas adapted to glow in response to certain potential differences between the terminals, and mercury within the tube for connecting the terminals and movable to break connection between the terminals.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 6th day of May, 1922.

HERMAN M. BIEBEL. 

